Canadian Critical Care Nursing Standards Revision Part 1: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Background & Purpose: Critical care nursing demands high professional standards to safeguard patient outcomes. The Canadian Association of Critical Care Nurses (CACCN) publishes national standards to define and guide the practice of Canadian critical care nurses (CCNs). To ensure credibility, transparency, and methodological rigor in revising these standards, this scoping review was conducted as the first phase of a standardized protocol to inform the sixth edition of CACCN’s Standards for Critical Care Nursing Practice.

Revising the Canadian Standards of Critical Care Nursing Practice 6th Edition: Pt 2: A Modified Delphi Process

Abstract

Background:

The Canadian Association of Critical Care Nurses (CACCN) establishes the national standards of practice to guide safe, competent, and evidence-informed critical care nursing practice, which are reviewed regularly to ensure they remain current and responsive to emerging evidence. Previous revisions lacked a standardized methodology, prompting this study to employ a Modified Delphi process to revise the Standards for Critical Care Nursing Practice (6th edition).

Methods:

An expert panel of Canadian critical care nurses (≥5 years’ experience) was recruited to ensure representation across provinces,

CJCCN Volume 37, Special Standards Issue, 2026

Perspectives of Non-Speaking ICU Patients and their Families on Goals-of-Care and End-of-Life Discussions

Abstract

Objectives: The objective of this study was to explore how patients and their caregivers perceived their communication during goals-of-care/end-of-life discussions and decision-making in the intensive care unit (ICU). The patient participants were temporarily non-speaking due to their medical treatment and used augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) during their stay in the ICU. Results from patient participants were garnered when they reported their experience retrospectively. The long-term goal was to support strategies and assist in the development of AAC tools for patient participation during goals-of-care and end-of-life conversations.

Cultural adaptation in Quebec of the COMHON index: a tool for assessing the risk of pressure injury in critically ill patients

CJCCN Volume 37, Number 1, 2026

Call for Peer Reviewers: External

The Canadian Journal of Critical Care Nursing (CJCCN) is looking to add to our external Peer Review list.  
 

CJCCN Aim and Scope

• The Canadian Journal of Critical Care Nursing (CJCCN) is an open access scientific, peer reviewed journal.
• The aim of the Canadian Journal of Critical Care Nursing (CJCCN) is to publish innovative and current research as well as recent clinical evidence related to critical care and critical care nursing.

Nurses’ perceived feasibility and the clinical utility of the Nociception Level (NOL™) Index for pain assessment in critically ill adults

Abstract

Introduction: The Nociception Level (NOL™) Index monitors nociception and related pain using multiple physiologic parameters through a non-invasive finger probe and is currently undergoing validation for pain assessment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). This study aimed to describe its feasibility and clinical utility from nurses’ perspectives, which is crucial for its potential adoption in clinical practice.

Methods: This descriptive study involved ICU nurses who received a brief training (5-minute video and handout) as part of the validation process of the NOL Index in a medical-surgical ICU.

Editorial Management Team

The Chief Editor, Co-Editors and the Editorial Advisory Board members are volunteer CACCN Members.

Our Peer Reviewers are also volunteers who give of their time and expertise to assist the CACCN in producing a high quality scientific journal.

CJCCN Volume 35, Number 1, Spring/Summer 2024